Throughout the ages, leprosy has been looked upon with contempt and
horror. The Bible enjoins lepers to "dwell alone," wear torn clothing
and cry out "Unclean, unclean." In the Middle Ages lepers were barred
from public buildings, forbidden to speak with children and required to
sound a bell or clapper. The very word leper came to mean outcast.

Yet the stigma of leprosy is based largely on misunderstanding. The use
of the term...